This invention refers to an anti-aircraft projectile and more specifically to a projectile for intercepting any flying objects, preferably missiles.
A projectile made in accordance with the invention has a high offensive power which can be considered as highly superior to that of known projectiles having the same purpose. The number of fragments which are discharged when the projectile explodes is greater than of heretofore known projectiles, and the range and distribution of such fragments which are discharged when the projectile explodes will also be much greater.
At present, projectiles to be launched against flying aircraft are so constructed that the weight of the high-explosive body, i.e. that part of the projectile between the ogive and the base, is distributed in approximately equal parts. These parts can be considered as being situated forwardly and rearwardly of an imaginary transverse axis dividing the projectile at a zone situated at a level slightly forward of the bourrelet of the projectile. The high-explosive body should be understood as referring to that zone of the projectile in which the explosive charge is housed, while the bourrelet refers to a type of ring attached to the exterior of the projectile at a position closely forward of the base, the purpose of which is to store, since it is inside the cannon which discharges the projectile, the pressure produced at the beginning of the firing of the projectile for the forced discharge thereof from the cannon.
In this type of known projectile, the distribution of the explosive charge is deficient inasmuch as the portion of explosive charge stored in the rearward part of the projectile, i.e. in the zone close to the base, only represents 20% of the total weight of the explosive charge, while the amount of charge stored in the forward part of the projectile is 80%. Thus, the mentioned imaginary transverse axis divides the high-explosive body into two parts, one corresponding to the base or rear portion, and the other corresponding to the high-explosive body and the ogive. With this arrangement the rear portion or base comprises 50% of the total weight of the high-explosive body and only 20% of the total weight of the explosive charge, while the forward part of ogive comprises the remaining 50% of the total weight of the high-explosive body and 80% of the total weight of the explosive charge.
Due to this distribution in weight, the weight ratio of the body to be fragmented to that of the explosive charge in the base reaches values of approximately fifteen grams of body to be fragmented to one gram of explosive charge, while such weight ratio in the forward zone of the projectile or that corresponding to the ogive is less than four grams body to be fragmented to one gram of explosive charge.
Such poor distribution is unavoidable in known projectiles, since the base of the projectile must be provided with a great resistance which is necessary, on the one hand, to absorb the high stresses which occur during discharge and, on the other hand, to provide the projectile with the most suitable aerodynamic profile to enable the projectile to acquire high speeds when discharged.